Superman and the Thief
by Creatively Licensed B
Summary: "You made bail, Kmetko. You're free to go." I swallow hard and bite my lip because I know I'll be in debt to him forever after this. When I see him, I expect to hear his every demand, not a hug. Post-Rock Bottom AusEm


**Superman and the Thief**

I told myself I'd never end up here. No matter how bad things would get, I would always know where the line was drawn and I'd know how to stay on the right side of it. They took away the power. Okay. They cut off the phone line. Alright. It isn't the first time life had thrown us these curve balls and we've always lived to play another inning. We're Kmetkos. We're strong.

"_My arm…it's tingling." _

One single sentence has never left me feeling such fear. Not when Marty left the Rock without so much as a straight reason. Not when I was the new standoffish girl that apparently came from a YMCA and no one at the Rock gave me a second glance. Not when Beals told me I wouldn't be competing in France. Helplessness. Shame. Anger. Never fear.

Not like when those words came from my baby brother's mouth.

It leads me here – sitting behind bars at the county jail. I have the cell, but still I somehow manage to squeeze myself into the corner. I shut my eyes tight and I know it's stupid, but I get this feeling that maybe, just maybe, all of this is some sort of nightmare. My worst nightmare, in fact.

I can only imagine how this will look to the National Committee. To them, I'm uncontrollable, a wildcard, the girl who broke the rules by having a job. I'm also the girl who broke the curfew rule in France. With hard work and determination, I made up for almost everything at the final practice for the national team. I'm convinced that nothing I do, not my work on the vault or my improvement on the balance beam can make up for stealing and going to jail.

It's over. The dream is over.

I'm not a gymnast anymore. I'm a thief.

"You made bail, Kmetko. You're free to go."

There's a part of me that would rather stay in the cell then walk out, even as the officer slides open the iron bars. I see a way out. I see freedom, but I certainly don't feel free.

If I'm being honest with myself, I'm still embarrassed after that phone call. It was my only phone call, my only means of communication and my only connection to the outside world. I couldn't call my mom who would just turn to her boyfriend/ex-boyfriend (Who knows these days? I sure don't.) I told myself I had no other option (even though I did – Kaylie, the Keelers even) so I called him.

"Hurry up, sweetheart! Don't got all day!"

At the venomous words of the officer, I quickly slide off the bench I've spent hours on and make my way out of the cell. In a way, being in there was sort of comforting. Locked in there, it was like a little break from my life. I was saved from making decisions and dealing with consequences. Here, surrounded by concrete walls, sort of saved me. Then again, it was only for a few hours.

They return my "personal belongings" and I chuckle a little because it's so pathetic. All there is is an empty wallet and a hair-tie. I walk out into the main lobby and there's no broad smile, no dark hair and no leather jacket. So maybe he'd paid the money and left. That's one option I could gladly go with, especially after that mortifying phone call.

"_Hey. It's Austin." _

"_Austin!" _

"_Emily Kmetko?" he gives a husky laugh. "Funny. I never figured you for the booty call type. Does Damon Young know?" _

"_Not funny, Austin." _

"_Jeez, why so tense? Did Kaylie go scuba diving in the lake, fish out those promise rings and reattach the strings?"_

"_I'm in jail." _

_Silence. _

"_Austin, please tell me you didn't hang up! This is my only phone call!"_

"_What the hell, Kmetko?" _

"_Can you please just come and help me out? I'll explain when I see you." _

"_I'm on my way. You sit tight, alright?" _

"_Alright and…thank you."_

"_Yeah, sure," Austin says. "Just make sure it's worth my while." _

I hang my head low as I walk out of the police station with my hair all in my face and wearing my only Pizza Shack uniform. Outside it's cold. Maybe two or three in the morning. I have no idea how I'm getting home and I mentally prepare myself for the walk through the cold, but then I see the tall, dark and handsome young man, wearing that signature leather thrown over a simple white t-shirt as he leans back against an expensive, shiny sports car.

For a moment, I feel angry. It's the same feeling I get when I see Kaylie or Lauren with their convertibles and their high-tech cell phones when, again, I don't even have my own friggin room. The feeling doesn't last long, though. I know it isn't their faults that they have parents with seven figure incomes. Sometimes it doesn't feel fair, but that's life. If I got angry every time I picked out things like this, I'd be angry all the time.

Swallowing my pride and keeping a calm expression, I start walking towards him. I swallow hard and bite my lip because I know I'll be in debt to him forever after this. When I see him, I expect to hear his every demand, not a hug.

"Austin, you're hugging me."

"I figure you'd need it, Jailbird," he chuckles into my ear.

When he finally pulls away, Austin looks me up and down as if I'd spend a couple hours in a jail cell and suddenly look completely different or something.

"Now I can't say this is a first time I've sprung a friend from jail," Austin starts, moving away from his car and meeting me halfway. "But I can say that I'd never expect this from you, Kmetko. Don't you think you're taking this Rock-Rebels thing a little far?"

Ignoring him, I says, as if were rehearsed, "Thank you for doing this for me. I really appreciate it."

"All in a days work," Austin says. "It's like I'm turning into your own personal Superman."

"This is the last time. I promise," I assure him even though it feels a little like a lie.

"Don't," he says. "I kinda have a thing for damsels in distress. So are you going to tell me what this is all about?"

I just give him a reluctant stare. "You want to have a heart-to-heart outside of the police station at nearly 3 AM?"

"Now that would be a first for me," Austin says. He sits on the curb and pats the pavement beside him, motioning for me to join him. I just sigh and bend down to sit, making sure to keep ample space between us. It's only when he slings his heavy leather jacket over my shoulders that I come to realize I've been rubbing my palms up and down the cold skin of my arms and shoulders this entire time.

"No. It's your jacket. I—"

"You're cold. Wear it," Austin says plainly. He smiles over at me, leisurely leaning back with his hands pressed into the sidewalk. "Plus, you know how I love to show off these guns."

I let myself laugh and it's such a strange sound even to my ears. I can't remember the last time I've actually laughed and meant it.

"So what'd you do to end up here?" Austin asks softly. "I mean, I could guess if that's what you really want, but I'll warn you now that half of the reasons in my head will probably earn me a slap in the face."

"We wouldn't want that, now would we?" I ask. "No. It's…I stole something."

"Come on, Kmetko. If you're gonna tell me then tell me. I'm gonna need more than that."

"Okay" I huff. "So I'm guessing you heard about my sponsor being Lauren's dad, right?"

Austin winces. "Yeah. Sorry to say it's the talk of the Rock, but what does that have to do with you stealing?"

"Well, my brother, he, uhh, he's sick. It's complicated and there are all these medical terms and I'm not even sure if I know how to describe it, but for the most part he has it under control," Emily explains. "Well, I gave back the money so I've been working at the Pizza Shack again. After work, I came home to find Brian with a lantern since our electricity got shut off and our phone got shut off and he tells me his arm was tingling."

"Tingling?" he repeats. The sound of his eager voice startles me. I almost forgot whom I was talking to for a second. It felt like I was simply recapping the night to myself. I look over at him and his eyes are on me and his knees are even angled in my direction. I don't think I've ever had another person's undivided attention while not in a leotard suspended above the ground.

"Yeah, tingling," I assure him. "He told me he ran out of his meds and so I went to the pharmacy. I didn't have enough money because our insurance apparently didn't cover it and I was desperate. I even told that jerk pharmacist I was desperate. I mean, I know he's just doing his job, but…it was life or death. This was my brother. He needed it. So I took the pills and I ran. The cops showed up at my place not even two hours later."

"You knew you were going to be caught and you did it anyways. Sheesh, that's bold," Austin says, trying to comprehend. I simply nod. "You did the right thing. You were protecting your family. I know if I was in the same situation and it was my sister, I would have done anything. You do whatever you need for your family. I respect that, Kmetko."

"Thanks, but I'm not too sure a judge will feel the same." I sigh.

And here comes the consequences crashing down.

"Anyone with a heart will understand," Austin says. "I wouldn't worry about it."

"Of course you wouldn't worry about it," I shoot back. "You're Austin Tucker. All you have to do is flash your smile and your reputation and your money. Things are easy for you. I have nothing."

"Relax," he calmly. It's almost like I can feel his silk smooth voice pass through me and relieve my muscles of their tension. "Remember that I know where you're at. It's like the same place where I came from and I rose up from that. You can too. Where's your confidence, Emily? You're hot and you're talented. When you've got those two and still hit rock bottom, there's nowhere to go, but up, baby."

I don't know where he finds these words and how he says them, so sure of himself. It's just another one of his qualities that I envy. I hear his words with that charming purr and I can't help, but want to believe him. I've always barely made it through the dips in my life, coming out a little scraped, but never completely shattered, and even then, I just come right back. This is just another one of those things.

"You hear what I'm saying, Kmetko?"

"Yeah," I meekly reply.

Austin looks at me with raised brows. "Now do you believe it?"

My lips twitch a bit. "I'm on my way to believing."

Austin smiles and clasps his hands. "And that's all I can ask for." He stands with a loud groan and stretches his arms. He then holds his hand out towards me and I take it with less hesitation than I would if it was anyone else. "Now what would you say about grabbing some coffee and watching the sunrise?"

"We have to be at practice in less than three hours," I'm sure to remind him.

"Well, then we can grab our coffee and watch the sunrise from the Rock parking lot. That way we won't be late," he proposes, wearing that utterly charming smile.

"Just take me home, Austin," I tell him, sighing. Truth be told, I want to go anywhere but home, where I have to face my mother and explain everything that's happened. Then again, Brian is probably worried to death and the less time he spends, anxious and upset, the better.

"Oh. So you're assuming I'm just going to give you a ride home?"

I just look over at him and smile sweetly. "Yes."

Austin just chuckles to himself and walks over to his nice, new car, popping open the passenger side door. He motions for me to get in with his hand and I quickly, quietly oblige. He makes sure I'm settled in before he shuts slams the door and makes his way over to the driver's side. I watch him intently as he slides behind the steering wheel, shuts his door and blows hot air into his cold hands.

"You can have your jacket back. I don't—"

"Just keep it," Austin says. "If you get sick Sasha kicks your ass and then he kicks mine. If I get sick, no one gets in trouble and I get to stay home and watch cartoons for an entire day. Sounds pretty sweet to me."

"You know that I don't buy it, right?" I ask him.

Austin tilts his head at me and asks, "And what is it I'm selling?"

"That you don't love gymnastics. You try to convince everyone that you just do it because it makes you money and gets you gold and girls or whatever, but I know that's wrong," I say simply. "I see your face when you're practicing. You love it just as much as the rest of us."

"What can I say?" he asks, shrugging. "Gymnastics saved me, y'know?"

I find myself nodding because I do understand. I'm the same way. I can't even imagine where I'd be if not for Marty finding me and bringing me to the Rock. I probably would have resorted to stealing a long time ago.

"Yeah, I know what you mean," I answer. Looking down at my hands, I can't help, but continue, "So why are you so nice to me?"

Austin smirks. "For the same reason you called me tonight. Not your mom. Not any of your other Rock Rebel buddies. Wait. You answer me that, Kmetko. Out of everyone you know in Boulder, why did you call me?"

I pause a moment, trying to figure out what I'm supposed to say and what he wants to hear, the difference between the truth and a light. I squirm long enough to compose an answer that's halfway between both.

"Because we're friends," I reply the only way I know how. "I don't know how you do it, but there's something about you. I trust you."

He nods and grins. "Ditto."

I can't help, but roll my eyes. "That's so not cool how you completely turned the entire question around on me."

Austin laughs and cranks up the engine. "Babe, we may be pals, but I'm always gonna be Austin Tucker."

That word _pals_ strikes me harder than the former _babe. _I know for a fact that it's just how Austin talks. He calls everyone slightly offensive yet sorta endearing names. I don't know why him calling us "pals" hits me harder. It isn't like I want to be anything more than pals with Austin, especially after the things Lauren said about my track record with Boulder boys.

But hypothetically if I wanted to be with Austin, would Lauren Tanner really be enough of a reason not to go for it? And if not Lauren, then surely Kaylie.

"Any more questions before we take off?" Austin asks.

"Yeah, one. So was this worth your while?" I can't help, but ask. Over the phone, when I heard that, I couldn't help, but think calling Austin was one of my biggest mistakes, but being with him, here, now, with the heater blasting in his new car that smells overwhelmingly like leather, I'm sure it's one of the few things I've done right.

"For you, Kmetko? Always," he replies. "You _are_ worth my while."

Still sitting out in the parking lot of the police station, I'm glad it's so dark, because my face feels so hot. I can imagine my face blushing and him laughing and it isn't attractive nor is it flattering. I still don't know why he has this twisted hold on me. It's still hard to understand why I get so tangled up in boys and even harder to understand why they would willingly get tangled up with my drama and me.

"So how do you like my new car?" Austin asks, grinning. There's something about him, that at first glance it's like he's just trying to impress me or show off, but the more I stare, the more I realize that he actually values my opinion. I can't say it's something I'm used to.

"It's nice. I guess," I reply. "But I prefer Lolita."

Austin laughs and puts his car in drive. "You think this car's faster than a speeding bullet?"

I can't believe I'm playing along, but I say it, "You are Superman, aren't you?"

"_Your_ Superman," he says playfully and winks. "Don't forget the _your."_

I just shake my head and turn to stare out the window. As nice as that sounds, I'm more of a Chloe Sullivan than a Lois Lane. I may even prefer it that way. At least, for now.

* * *

Author's note: Just a little tag to the latest episode. I was so inspired by the end. You have no idea. Oh and I'm calling it now Chloe's second job is that she's a STRIPPER! I'm pretty darn sure. Then again, I am the girl sure Lauren Tanner has a pregnancy scare in her future so we'll see. Anyways, review?

No disrespect and I may be horribly shallow, but Austin/Emily is totally hotter than Austin/Kaylie! Whenever Kaylie and Austin kiss, it bothers me that their faces don't match, y'know? Like, her face is so tiny compared to his. The cameramen really need to use a different angle, but it's really distracting. And Austin/Emily have better chemistry and conversations. A&E NEED more scenes ASAP!

XOXO


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